New NRCB rules?

[cowman]

cowman, I do have to beg to differ with you on one point, as many AVERAGE FARMERS are now becoming involved in watershed groups across the province. It is by far the best way to deal with the potential of environmental risk from livestock operations. Farmers working with their farming neighbours will make a huge difference for the betterment of all Albertans. Particularly for the image of our industry.

[Deb]

I love cowboys and farmers, especially ones that think about stuff. And really like the ones who can actually write about what they think.

[cowman]

Well emerald perhaps you are right, now that I think about it. There is a slow realization that we need to do something about our water and I do believe the average farmer is concerned.
But we also need to consider the economics of this whole thing? Take for example a modern hog farmer: He really doesn't need or have time to be messing around with crops? His business is turning out as many hogs as he possibly can? Land is basically a place to get rid of manure, not really a source of income? With the present N requirements for land, he is totally overloading the land with P? If the NRCB was to require P levels he would obviously need more land? This can be extremely costly in some areas and often the neighbors have no interest in putting on hog manure? I believe eventually there will be P requirements and it will drive many ILOs out of business?
One solution that is really worth looking into is biodigesters? Get that manure off the land and turn it into an odorless fertilizer that can be adjusted to the proper mix of NPK? Red Deer County is doing a feasability study on that right now, with the intention of having several built over the next few years! I believe the NRCB is considering changing the land requirements for ILOs if they have a contract with a biodigester?

[cowman]

COWMAN, the NRCB cannot require any farmer to do anything that is not a requirement of the AOPA legislation. The NRCB did NOT write the legislation but are the regulator...sorry if I sound like a stuck record but AOPA is provincial legislation just as the Water Act is Provincial Legislation.
Any livestock producer must dispose of manure in an manner that does not pose a risk to the environment.
I agree that bio digestors certainly seem like the ideal way to address manure utilization, but the cost of implementing them is likely prohibitive for the smaller producers, most of whom are family owned operations.
The public image of factory farms isn't realistic, very few corporate hog operations exist in Alberta. Most of the operations, poultry, dairy, beef included are owned by families or colonies.

[cowman]

Emerald: Yes I realize the NRCB is the regulator....just like the RCMP is the regulator of criminal law? They are there to make sure the "law" or "rules" are complied with. But they do have a lot of leeway on how they apply that law? The NRCB is looking at the reality that a Biodigester is a way to comply with the AOPA rules. Jim McKinley is the point man on this.
Yes, biodigesters can be extremely expensive or ridiculously cheap! Practically every house in rural China and a good part of India have a biodigester to provide lighting and cooking fuel! The research that will come out of biodigesters in Alberta will be benificial some where down the road to practically everyone.
They have the potential to eliminate landfills, save our watersheds, improve the air quality for everyone...both rural and urban! They have all kinds of potential. Unfortunately our provincial government is not very supportive. Amazingly the oil and gas industries are! They are investing money in this new technology.

[cowman]

cowman, there is a difference between the regulatory role of the NRCB vs the RCMP or any law enforcement agency.
The NRCB has an Approvals component, a Compliance component and a quasi judicial board that renders decisions when Board reviews ( hearings ) are granted to directly affected parties.
The AOPA legislation clearly spells out the role of each component.

I am not sure what involvement the NRCB has with biodigesters.

[nejar]

NRCB has no involvement with bio-digesters. There is yet to be one that is economically feasible although there are a lot of prototypes on test.

Regarding the worry over basing application rates on N. Soils across western Canada are highly variable when it comes to how much P is in the soil and how muchof that P is actually available to the plant. It would be a terrible mistake to put a blanket arbitrary upper limit value on soil P levels as there are just way too many variables affecting P availability.

[nejar]

nejar, the NRCB has approved the construction of a biodigestor on a large hog operation in the Peace region. That is their only role with biodigestors.